Durban in 2020 Olympic bid

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Johannesburg - The city of Durban in South Africa is to bid for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games according to UK newspaper, The Times.

Although a decision on the host city for the 2020 Games won't be made until 2013, the paper reports that Durban is busy with a series of strategic moves to make the best use of its sporting resources - the Moses Mabhida Stadium and the Kings Park sports precinct around it.

Durban's city manager, Mike Sutcliffe, told the paper that the city’s role as host to the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) 2011 Congress is central to the city's post-World Cup sporting ambitions.

"We have a ‘2010 and beyond' strategy that involves looking at potential events, whether they be Commonwealth Games or Olympics, coming to what we believe is a world-class African city” he said. “At the same time I must stress that we haven't officially put our hat in the ring as far as the Olympics are concerned because that decision must take place at national level".

The Times reports that the decision to host an Olympic Games involves the national and provincial government and that there is circumstantial evidence pointing to Durban using 2010 and the IOC congress the following year to leverage international sentiment towards a 2020 bid.

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